Chicago Half Marathon Site Coordinator

A lesson.....if you keep showing up, they'll eventually ask you to take charge!!

Yep......they asked me to be in charge of the whole half marathon training group. I learned it's the only site in the Chicagoland area for this race. So that means 205 people!! As expected, most don't show up....I've never understood that, since they've already paid...but that's the way it is.

I must say, though, I truly enjoy it. Especially with the beginning runners....which the majority are. They are just hungry for information, and absorb it like a sponge. I'm still training my little 12:00 pace group, which is about 25 folks, and that is a great experience.

So, I'm combining my half marathon group runs with my own marathon training. This week, the group had to do 5 miles and I added another 45 minutes on my own. We were lucky to have a slightly overcast and drizzly morning, great to keep you cool, though the humidity was still high. I wind up drinking so much more on those days.

I'm amazed at my training program. I havent even done a 20-mile week yet! Though my cross-training is intense, involving: rowing, spinning, powerwalking with weights, weight training, yoga, core workouts, jumproping and speedwork. I do feel much stronger...especially my arms and thighs. So time will tell if it all comes together.

Hills, Pacer Promise, Books & New Wine

I went to the wine shop in my town, telling the owner that I can't seem to find anything that compares with Santa Marguerita Pinot Grigio, and he recommended Bracco Pinot Grigio. So, I've saved it for the last episode of Sopranos. Pasta and a new Pinot---what a way to go!!

Saturday was hills again. But this time running up them!! My girlfriend, Anne, decided to join me, and since we're planning on running the Marathon together, I was thrilled to have her with me.

She's the one that helped me pr 1 1/2 yrs ago at a zero degree 5 mile race with crazy winds. She's done the Chicago Marathon 13 times!! Well, she kept me running those hills yesterday--six times!! She LOVES to talk---was great in helping me ignore any discomfort. SO--I asked if she would pace me on my 50 miler in February. SHE SAID YES!! I'm sooooo thrilled!!

Sunday was my yoga class and weights. I'm feeling stronger and stronger. I'm really enjoying this training, it's great to believe that I'm really on the right track with my training. Coach Lisa has been quite the inspiration.

I've become so narrow with my reading choices. Seems this past year I keep reaching for the books that are about running. I'm in the middle of reading Amazon.com: Under an Equatorial Sky: Books: Rebekah E. Trittipoe and Amazon.com: Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why: Books: Laurence Gonzales and then to really top it all off, I LOVED watching Amazon.com: Running on the Sun: DVD: Gabriel Flores (II),Lisa Smith,Jack Denness,Nick Palazzo,Eric Clifton,Ephraim Romesburg,.... Am I addicted to this sport or what???!!!!

HillWork

Saturday was a hill workout. There are none close to my home, so I headed back up to my old house, parked across the street, enjoyed that the new owner hadn't yet changed much, and started out.

The first thing I noticed was this screeching noise off in the distance. What was that???? Ahhh yes the cicadas!! They have arrived. Actually, they were all over the course, getting crunched by me. I plugged my ipod into my radio doodad, and took off listening to NPR. The talk was about the new book for boys, and they discussed how to make a go-cart. How that brought me back! When I was young, a new development was going up by my home, the Paedergat townhouses, and my friends and I would go there at night and take some wood--we found some wheels somewhere, and made our own go-carts! No, this chick was never dainty!

Anyways, I did a 10 minute running warmup, but had to throw a little walking in as it was terribly humid, and I made my way to the hill. I absolutely love that I'm pretty much by myself down there, but also quite bothered that nobody makes use of this beautiful area. There were four walkers and two bikers. That was it!

Something that I don't understand is while I'm running, I pass through cold spots and then hot spots. The first time it happened I thought my body was freaking out, now I realize it's something with the weather. It's bizarre, but I enjoy it. And being a city girl, I have no clue as to what it's all about.

So, I powerwalked the uphills as instructed, and ran the flats and downhills. I drank like crazy, though I'm starting to think of adding a waist pack instead of holding two water bottles---maybe it would help to free up one hand. I'll have to look into what feels comfortable.

This year, I've again been asked to pace the runners in Lincoln Park for the Chicago Half Marathon every Saturday morning. I loved doing it last year, so I ran it by Coach Lisa and she absolutely agreed I should do it. It will be great to have her guiding me towards the Marathon this time, as last year it was terribly confusing mixing up the two training programs.

I'm starting to get real itchy to do more races now. So we shall see what comes to pass.